Apparatus for developing photographic prints



April 25, 1939. L. G. SIMJIAN APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS Filed Nov. 16, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ivy'zm BY ATTORNEY April 25, 1939. e; S lMJlAN APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT S Filed Nov. 16, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 P v 5, 1939 LG; SYIIMJIANT 2, 5 11"- fgA-ws FOR DEVELOPING PHOTSifiRAPi-IIQ PRni'rs Filed Nov. '16, 1936 ,4 sheets-sheet INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 25, 1939 UNITED A STATES arrsnarus FOR DEVELOPING rno'roenarmc Pam'rs Luther G. Simjian, New Haven, Conn. Application November 16, 1938, Serial No. 111,043 16 Claims. (CI. 95-89) This invention relates, generally, to the development of photographic prints or negatives, and the invention has reference, more particularly, to a novel apparatus or machine for auto-' matically accomplishing this result.'

Apparatus heretofore designed for automatically deveioping photo graphic prints have generally been unsatisfactory in use for various reasons,-among which may be ,mentioned, firstly, that some of these devices employ'complicated apparatus within the processing solution tanks, which apparatus reacts with the acid solutions to render the latter inert, as by precipitation, or the lubricant used on such apparatus acts to spoil the solutions, and, secondly, others of these devices employ ways or grooves having curved portions, which ways, by engaging the edges of the film, guide the same through the several solutions used, but in these devices diificulty is experienced in moving the film around the curved portions of the ways, particularly if the film is at all stiii', with the result that the film is often damaged or destroyed. I

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel apparatus or machine for developing prints, which apparatus serves to automatically develop the prints in a continuous operation, the said apparatus being so constructed and arranged as to handle prints of any degree of stiffness without injury thereto and to process these prints through the several solution tanks used without inany way detracting from the effectiveness of the solutions employed.

Another object of the present invention lies in the provision of a novel apparatus of the above character having an intermittently reciprocable carriage for receiving the prints'in succession, said carriage serving to deliver the prints to consecutively dispersed fingers that serve to im- 40 merse the films in the processing solutions and to agitate the films therein, whereby uniform developing over the entire surfaces of the films is obtained, each film, after passing through all of the desired solutions, being delivered completely and perfectly developed to a discharge chute.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a. novel apparatus of the above character that is of simple and rugged construction and which is reliable in operation, the same being so constructed as to provide ready access to the several parts thereof, such as for purposes of lubricating moving parts or for renewing used 55 solutions, the apparatus being so designed as to positively prevent any lubricant from entering thesolution tanks.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein 5 one embodimentof the invention isillustrated.

, In the drawings,

Fig. i is a view in front elevation of the novel developing apparatus of this invention, the movablecarriage being shown at the right hand 10 limit of its travel for receiving a print to be developed.

.Fig. 21s a rear view of the structure of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2. 15

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 51s a fragmentary view in front elevation,

- showing the carriage at the left hand limit of its travel, in which position the prints are carried 20 by the supporting fingers preparatory to immersing the prints into the solutions.

Fig. 6 is a view similar toFig. 5, but shows the prints immersed in the solutions by the supporting fingers.

Fig. 'i is a view. similar toFig. 5, but shows the carriage moved to the right preparatory ;to receiving another print. a

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but sliows a developed print about to be discharged from the 30 machine, and

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view of the chute or conveyer for supplying films to the machine.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above views to indicate corresponding 35 parts.

Referring now to the said drawings, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention illustrated consists of a vertical partition plate or wall I upon which are removably mounted a 40 number of individual tank members arranged side by side and indicated in the drawings by the numerals 2. to ID, inclusive. These tanks are preferably of glass or other chemically resistant material and serve the purpose of holding the various baths and solutions used in the development of the strips of photographic film. These tanks are shown as carried by shallow pan members ii, each of which is provided at its front with a lifting handle it and at-its back with a headedstud l3.

The partition plate i is provided with a series of apertures H for receiving the heads of studs l3 therethrough. Apertures i4 communicate with depending slots I! that are adapted to con- Positioned for intermittent, transverse, re-- ciprocating movement above the tanks 2 to I3 is a carriage l1 consisting of upper and lower transverse bars I3 and I3 to which are secured pairs of vertical guide members l3 (see Figs. 1 and 4) that serve, by engaging the marginal edges of the films, to convey the same to the several tanks. Each pair I3 of guide members is provided with opposing vertical guide grooves or slots 23 and 2|, the grooves 23 being closer together transversely than grooves 2I for receiving a narrower film than that received by grooves 2I. The tanks 2 to I3 also have guide grooves 23 and 2ladapted to receive :the films discharged frcm grooves 23 and- 2I, respectively, as will further appear. Obviouslythe guide'members I3 and tanks 2 to I3 may be provided with additional guide groovesfor receiving additional 4 sizes otfilm, if desired. The number of pairs "I3 of guide members exceeds the number of that have their upper ends extending rearwardlythrough openings 23 in partition plate I and are attached to the ends of a transverse bar member 24 thatis mounted for reciprocating movement in guides 25 provided on the rear or back surface of partition plate I. In order to provide for the reciprocation of the bar member 24, the same is provided with upstanding spaced brackets 25 and 25 that have rearwardly spaced overhanging portions 21 adapted to be engaged by rollers 23 carried by arms 23 and 23' secured to slowly rotating cams 33 and 33'. Cams 33 and 33' are fixed on shafts, av, journaled in the frame a:

of the apparatus to the rear of partition plate I. Shafts 3I and 3i and hence cams 33, 33 are out of the tanks. The

driven from a transverse shaft 33 through bevel gearing 34, while shaft 33, in turn, is driven by a sprocket chain 35 from reduction gearing within gear housing 35, the latter gearing being driven by motor 31. Preferably the cams 33 and 33' are driven at approximately 2 R. P. M. in opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2.

H The mechanism for immersing the films in the baths or solutions of the tanks 2 to I3 consists of lower and upper forwardly directed fingers 33 and '33 ,thatare carried by depending bars 33 whichare adapted to be ilowered into and raised ngers 33 and-33' and the bars 33 are coated with chemically resistant material 'such as rubber, so that thesemembers will not contaminate the baths or solutions in the tanks. Bars 33 have their upper ends secured to a transverse bar 43 extending in front of partition plate I. Rearwardly directed studs H (see Fig. 3) are secured to the ends of bar 43 and project through vertical slots 42 provided in plate I, the rear end portions of these studs being secured to a rectangular transversely extending frame 43 at the rear of plate I.

Frame 43 is mounted for intermittent vertical reciprocation in guides 44 provided on the rear of partition plate I. Frame 43 is vertically reciprocated by levers 45 and 45' actuated by cams 33 and 33. Levers 45 and 45' are pivotally mounted intermediate their lengths on posts 43 projecting rearwardly from plate I. The outer end portions of levers 45 and 45' are provided with slots 41 engaging studs 43 projecting rearwardly from frame 43-, whereby the latter is supported upon levers 45 and 45'. The inner portions of levers 45 and 45' carry rollers 43 that ride upon cams 33 and 33', respectively. Levers 45 and 45' carry counterweights 52 on'their inner end portions for counterbalancing the weight of frame 43 and fingers 33, 33', therebyproviding for smooth and easy vertical movement of the frame 43 and fingers 33, 33'.

Each of the cams 33, 33' is so shaped as .to provide an undulating surface 53 of constant aver-- age radius extending for the greater portion of the angular extentof the'cam, the ends of the undulating surface 53 terminating in the'relatively steep sides of a radially projecting, substantially tooth shaped portion 5I that cooperates with rollers 49 to raise and lower the frame 43, and hence the fingers 33, 33', as will further appear. v

The films are fed to the machine one at a time as by means of a chute or conveyer 53, shown as having dual passages 54 and 55 (see Fig. 9) of differing widths for accommodating the difierent widths of films adapted to be handled by the machine. With the carriage I1 at the right hand limit of its travel, as shown in Fig. 1, the pair I3 of guide members at the right end of carriage I1 underlies chute 53 so that films delivered through passage 54 of the chute enter guide grooves 23 of this pair of guide members, while films delivered through passage 55 enter guide grooves 2|. A sheli 55 serves to support the film or films within this end pair I3 of guide members so that the bottom of the film or films is ona level with the tops of tanks 2 to ill.

In order to control the feed of the films through chute 53, the same is shown as provided with a suitable pivoted gate 51 shown as biased to closed position by a tension spring 53. A cable 53 has one end connected to gate 51 and has its other end (Figs. 2 and 9) connected to'the lower end of a lever 53 having its upper end pivoted at 52 and carrying a roller 5| for cooperating-with a projection 33 provided on cam 33. Projection 53 is adapted to actuate lever 53 toward the right in Fig. 2 and effect the opening of gate 51 against the tension of spring 53 just after fingers 33, 33'

, reach the upper limit of their travel and with the carriage I1 in its right hand position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, whereby a film 54 (Fig. 1) is caused to be discharged into grooves 2|, for example, of the end pair IQ of guide members.

In operation, assuming that the parts of the apparatus are in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and that a film 54 has just been discharged from chute 53 and is resting upon shelf 55, then continued rotation of cam 33 causes arm 23 carried'thereby to actuate bracket 25 toward the right in Fig. 2, causing bar 24 to move toward the right in Fig. 2 or toward the left-in Fig. 1,

thereby moving brackets 22 and carriage I1 toward the left in Fig. 1. Carriage I1 reaches the left hand-limit of its travel in Fig. 1 when roller 28 of arm 29 rides downwardly off portion 21 of bracket", thereby stopping the movement of the carriage. Figs. and 8 illustrate this position of the carriage, the film 64 having now been moved into overlying relation to tank 2 and being confined between the first pair of fingers 38, 38', the finger 38 serving to carry the weight of the film. The side edges of fingers 38 and 38' are preferably beveled, as shown in the drawings, to facilitate the transverse movement of the film onto and off the same.

While the carriage H was being moved toward the left in Fig. l, the rollers 49, of levers 45 and 45' were riding on the high part of cam portions 5| of cams 30 and 30, so that the fingers 38, 38 were held in their upper positions. Just after the carriage I'I reached the limit of its travel, the rollers 49 started to ride down the sides of cam portions 5| of cams 30 and 30', thereby causing the lowering of frame 43 and fingers 38, 33. Thus the right hand pair of fingers 38, 38' act to lower the film 64 into the solution in first tank 2, as shown in Fig. 6, the levers 45 and 45' moving into the dotted line positions shown in Fig. 2. Thereafter, continued turning of earns 30, 30' causes rollers 49 to ride on the undulating surfaces 50 of these cams, causing an alternate slight raising and lowering of the frame 43 and fingers 38, 38', resulting in the agitation or vertical reciprocation of the film 64 in the solution of tank 2 so that uniform development of the entire surface of the film is obtained.

While the film 54 is being agitated within the solution of tank 2, the arm 29 of cam 30' will engage portion 21 of bracket 25' and move carriage |1 back toward the right from the position shown in Fig. 6 to the limiting position shown in Figs. 7 and 1, preparatory to receivin another film from chute 53. After the agitation of the film within the solution of tank 2, the rollers 49 of levers 45 and 45' start to ride up the sides of cam portions 5| of earns 30 and 30, thereby causing the raising of frame 43 and fingers 38, 38' so that film 64 is raised into the guide grooves 2| of the second pair IQ of guide members from the right as viewed in Figs. 1 and 7. Just after the fingers 38, .38 have been fully raised, the cam projection 63 actuates lever 6|), as previously described, to effect the discharge of another film 65 (Fig. 7) into the pair IQ of guide members at the right end of carriage IT.

The operation is now repeated so that the film 64 is immersed into and agitated within the solution of tank 3, while film 65 is being agitated within the solution of tank 2-. Thus, the films move progressively through the machine and are successively processed in the consecutive tanks 2 to In and are finally discharged in fully developed condition into a chute 56 at the left hand end of the machine as shown in Figs. 8 and '1. Thus, after the machine is operating long enough for the first film to reach the discharge chute 66, then each time the carriage moves to the right in Fig. 1 it will receive a new film and each time it moves to the left it will discharge a developed fiim into chute 66, the operation being entirely automatic and continuous.

Since the guide grooves 20, 2| and 20, 2| are absolutely straight, this machine is adapted to handle film of any degree of stiffness, since there are no curves for the film to pass around. Also, since the rubber or otherwise coated fingers 38, 38' and supporting bars 39 are the only mechanical parts entering the solutions or baths of tanks 2 to Hi, there is no danger of any contamination or precipitation of the solutions of the tanks. Furthermore, since all parts of 'the apparatus requiring oiling or lubrication are located behind the partition plate I, there is no danger of lubricant entering the tanks 2 to II located in front of this partition. When the solution in any of the tanks becomes depleted, it may readily be renewed upon removing the tank by lifting upon the handle I2.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for developing photographic prints, a plurality of tanks containing processing liquid, a transversely movable carriage member having a plurality of pairs of opposed guide members for conveying and positioning films over said tanks, and vertically movable'finger means arranged to project into the space between the guide members of each pair of guide members and operable for receiving the films from said carriage member for immersing the same in the liquid of said tanks and for agi-' tating the films therein. I

2. In an apparatus for developing photographic prints, a plurality of tanks containing processing liquid, a transversely movable carriage member having a plurality of pairs of opposed guide members for moving a film into overlying relation to each of said tanks in succession, and vertically movable plural finger means independent of said carriage member and cooperating therewith for dipping the film from said guide members into the liquid of each of said tanks upon the arrival of the film thereover, said vertically movable means serving to agitate the film within the liquid of each such tank;

3. In an apparatus for developing photographic prints, a container having a processing liquid therein, a transversely reciprocatable carriage member having a plurality of pairs of opposed guide members overlying said container and arranged, when in one limiting position, to receive a film between the first pair of said guide members to be developed and, when in another limiting position, to deliver the film from between the last of said pairs of guide members to said container, and independent means for producing relative agitation of the film andproc- I essing liquid within said container.

4. In an apparatus for developing photographic prints, a container having a processing 'liquid therein, a transversely reciprocatable carriage member overlying said container and arranged, when at one limit of its travel, to receive a film to be developed and, when at the other limit of its travel, to deliver the film tov said container, and an independently operable vertically movable member including finger means for receiving the film from saidcarriage member, said vertically movable member finger means serving to move the film directly down into the liquid of the container and to thereafter agitate the film therein. i

5. In an apparatus for' developing photographic prints; a container having a processing liquid therein, a transversely reciprocatable carriage member overlying said container and provided with vertical film guides, said, carriage being arranged, when in one position, to receive a film in certain of said guides to be developed and, when in another position, to deliver the film to said container, and a separate vertically movable member for receiving the film from said carriage member guides, said vertically movable member serving to move the film directly down into the liquid of the container and to thereafter return the film to others 01' said carriage member guides to be further advanced by the latter.

6. In an apparatus for developing photographic prints, a plurality of consecutively arranged tanks containing processing liquids, a carriage member positioned above said tanks for reciprocating movement thereover, said carriage member being provided with straight film guides, andmeans for intermltte'htly reciprocatlng said carriage, said carriage serving, when at one limit of its travel, to receive a .film in said guides for processing and, when at the other limit 01' its travel, to deliver the film to one of said tanks.

7. In an apparatus for developing photographic prints, a plurality of consecutively arranged tanks containing processing liquids, a carriage member positioned above said tanks for reciprocating movement thereover, said carriage member being provided with straight film guides, means for intermittently reciprocating said carriage, said carriage serving, when at one limit of its travel, to receive a film in said guides for processing and, when at the other limit of its travel, to deliver the film to one oi said tanks, movable finger means being provided for receiving the film from said carriage guides, and means for vertically reciprocating said finger means for immersing the film in the liquid of the tanks and to thereafter return the same to said carriage for transmission to an adjacent tank for further processing therein.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, a plurality of consecutively arranged. tanks, a carriage reciprocable above said tanks, said carriage having pairs of guides for cooperating with said tanks, said carriage having one snore pair of guides than the number oi said tanks, whereby when guides of said carriage are aligned with said tanks, the remaining pair of guides 01 said carriage is free to either receive a member to be processed in said tanks, or to discharge a proccessed member from said apparatus.

9. In an apparatus for developing photographic prints, a plurality of consecutively arranged tanks containing processing liquids, a carriage reciprocable above said tanks, said carriage and said tanks having pairs of cooperating guides, the number of pairs oi guides on said carriage being one greater'than the number of said tanks, whereby when said carriage is at one limit of its travel the pair of guides thereof not aligned with the guides of said tanks is adapted to receive a film to be developed, the subsequent movement of said carriage to the other limit of its travel serving to bring said film above the first 01 said tanks while simultaneously discharging a fully developed film from that pair of guides. oi said carriage not aligned with the guides oi said tanks.

essing liquids, a transversely movable carriage for delivering films to points above said tanks, motor driven cam means for moving said carriage, and vertically moving supporting finger means for receiving the films from said carriage and immersing the same ln'the liquids of said tanks, said cam means also serving to operate said supporting finger means.

12. In an apparatus for developing photographic prints, a series of tanks containing processing liquids, a transversely movable carriage,

for delivering films to points above said tanks, motor driven cam means for reciprocating said carriage, means for supplying films to said carriage when the same is at one end of its travel, and finger means operated from said cam means and acting to immerse the films in said tanks when said carriage is at the other end of itstravel, said finger means serving to elevate the films back to said carriage when the latter has returned to said first mentioned end 01' its travel.

13. apparatus for developing photographic prints as defined in claim 11, wherein said cam .means comprises a cam having a part thereoi provided with an undulating surface for efiecting relatively rapid raising and lowering of said supporting finger means while the latter has the films immersed in the liquids of said tanks, to thereby cause uniform development or the films.

14. An apparatus for automatically and progressively developing photographic prints comprising a discharge chute, an intermittently reciprocating carriage comprising a plurality of pairs of opposed guide members, means for reciprocating said carriage directly from one limit of its travel to the other and means for causing films to be supplied thereto, a plurality oi processing tanks, and fingers cooperating with said carriage alter the latter moves in one direction serving to convey films from said guide members to said tanks and to said discharge chute, said carriage being empty when moving in the reverse direction preparatory to receiving a film to be developed.

15. In an apparatus for developing photographic prints, a plurality oi consecutively ar-,

ranged tanks, a carriage reciprocable above said tanks directly from one limit of its travel to the other, said carriage having guide means for accommodating diiferent sizes of films andserving to convey the latter to said tanks. 7

16. An apparatus for developing photographic prints as defined in claim 15, wherein vertically movable finger means is employed for receiving the films from said carriage for immersing the same in said tanks.

LU'I'l-IER G. SIMJIAN. 

